The father of Missouri senior left tackle Elvis Fisher confirmed to the Columbia Daily Tribune Tuesday that this son had been granted an extra season of eligibility and would be returning to the field this fall. After redshirting in 2007, Fisher started every game for the Tigers his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons before tearing his patellar tendon in fall camp 2011. Fisher was an honorable mention All-Big 12 lineman in 2009 and 2010 and would have set a new team record for consecutive starts had he remained healthy.

The NCAA told Missouri officials Tuesday that Fisher's resulting application for a medical hardship waiver had been approved. Fisher celebrated the news himself on Twitter:

Fisher's father, Jeff Fisher, told the Tribune the family had not been certain Elvis would play a sixth year even if the NCAA granted the waiver.

“We hashed it out,” Jeff said. “We decided, ‘If they say yes, let’s do this' ... If they said no, we were going to be doubling up our efforts to try and get into the NFL. But this way gives him more prep time to get stronger and faster, have another year, and play the first year in the SEC. It’s exciting."

Assuming he returns to full strength by the start of the 2012 season, Fisher will give the Tigers three returning starters on their offensive line--no small positive considering some of the defensive lines Mizzou will face this year.

Though reportedly "ahead of his recovery plan," Fisher's availability for the Tigers' spring drills is still to be determined.

Keep up with the latest college football news from around the country. From the opening kick of the year all the way through the offseason, CBSSports.com has you covered with this daily newsletter. View a preview.

Mack Brown must have thought that surely, surely, his staffing overhaul was over after filling his tricky offensive line coaching position with Stacy Searels and watching Signing Day come and go. But now Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman is reporting that with Jeff Fisher out as the Tennessee Titans head coach and Mike Munchak in, the Longhorns may not be out of the woods just yet:

Munchak is considering Longhorns defensive backs coach Jerry Gray to be the Titans’ new defensive coordinator, the American-Statesman has learned.

Gray coached on the same Titans staff for four years with Munchak, serving as Tennessee’s secondary coach, including the 1999 season when the Titans narrowly lost to the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.

If Gray (pictured) does receive and accept the Titans' offer, it'll be quite the whiplash-inducing career move, having just taken his new job in Austin three weeks ago.

But there's no indication of an offer yet, much less an acceptance from Gray (though Gray -- who has never coached in the collegiate ranks before -- would almost have to consider such an offer, since moving from college position coach to NFL coordinator would represent a substantial jump). And even if Gray does bolt, with Signing Day passed, Brown would have the luxury of working with a much looser deadline to find a replacement.

So it's far from time for Longhorn fans to wish Gray a good-bye, and they won't lose any sleep if they do. But it's a lesson that even for the most powerful of college football programs -- and they don't come any more powerful than programs that have their own network -- recovery from a 5-7 season is never as smooth as they'd like.